Effects of frost to vegetable crops in Benguet Province.

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Clear, calm and dry nights following cold days are the precursor conditions for a radiation frost

(or hoar frost). These conditions are most often met during winter and spring where high pressures

follow a cold front, bringing cold air from the southern ocean but settled cloudless weather. When the

loss of heat from the earth during the night decreases the temperature at ground level to zero, a frost

occurs. Wind and cloud reduce the likelihood of frost by decreasing the loss of heat to the atmosphere.

The extent of frost damage is determined by how quickly the temperature takes to get to zero, the

length of time its stays below zero and the how far below zero it gets.

In southern France, the temperature today stands at 7 degrees Celsius. A grower from the south

devoted to the cultivation of a wide range of fruits is currently only actively involved with apples. For

this crop, the cold has so far had no negative consequences. In Nord Pas de Calais, it is currently about 4

degrees below zero. Here the cold has had a huge impact. A grower from the north summarizes briefly:

"We will soon be unable to harvest any fruit."

Apple growers are not yet very concerned about the new season. The cold, with -10 degrees

during the day and -20 degrees at night, is historically normal for the country, according to a grower. In

recent years, it has been exceptionally warm in the first months of the year. If the cold persists, it could
have consequences for the health of the trees for certain breeds. "But we are not yet close to that stage

and the temperature is expected to rise in the coming weekend."

As far as vegetables are concerned, there has been an increase in the demand for winter

vegetables. The cold will not have a big impact on the crops, but daily routines are partially disturbed.

Greenhouse growers of, for example, cabbage and lettuce are working hard these days to keep the

temperature inside the greenhouses above the freezing point.

In Emilia-Romagna, some of the early stone fruit trees were in bloom when the frost hit the

area. The harvest was "burned" by it. In other regions, growers tried to avoid its impact on the orchards

with torches. In Ravenna and Trentino, the torches were lit to protect the blossom. There are also

concerns about the plums and cherries in Vignola, Modena. Even if the buds are closed, the 13 degree

frost could cause damage.

In the south of Italy, growers are also concerned about the frost. In some places, temperatures

have fallen as low as -4 °C. The early stone fruit, but also the vegetable harvest, which was about to

start, are threatened. According to reports, there may be serious consequences for the production of

peas, broad beans, potatoes, melons, lettuce or fennel, among others.

In parts of Puglia, temperatures fell for several hours during the night from 26 to 27 February to

4 to 6 degrees below zero. This damaged the stone fruit blossom, causing a part to be lost. On the fields

in Foggia, vegetables were damaged by frost, and in Brindisi, Francavilla, Latiano, Fasano and Ostuni a

lot of snow fell. The extent of the damage is still unclear, although the flowers in almond, nectarine and

apricot trees were visibly affected the next morning (28 February). The real extent of the damage will

only become clear once the temperature rises.

 In Val di Cornia, Tuscany, the frost damaged around 700 hectares of artichokes. This means that

almost the entire production has been lost. On 28 February, it was -8 °C. There are concerns about the

production that is planned to be harvested in April/May. Rain is expected in the coming days, which is

necessary to see how the plants react. In Marche, the mercury dropped to -17 degrees. The frost may

have damaged the harvest of

The mercury in Baguio has dropped to 7.3 degrees Celsius (°C) on Wednesday, from 8 °C on

Valentine’s Day, making it the coldest day so far in 2017. The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that it

almost matched the 7.1 °C recorded on Jan. 9, 1971, qualifying as one of the lowest temperatures the

city had experienced in 46 years.

But it was far colder in the town of Atok in Benguet where the temperature dropped below 0 °C on two

consecutive days. In a Facebook post, the Civil Defense Cordillera said a -2 °C and -3 °C temperature

were recorded in the municipality on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

Meanwhile, weather observer Efren Dalipog said the temperature in nearby Mount Sto. Tomas

registered at 4.5 °C. The mountain has an elevation of 2,260 meters above sea level. It is part of the

forest reservation that overlaps Baguio and Tuba town in Benguet.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

1. To determine the effects of frost problem on vegetable crops in highlands of Benguet

Province;

2. To identify the kind of crops most affected by frost; and

 3. To determine the economic disadvantage of frost I highland vegetables to the Benguet

Province

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study hopes to establish an understanding on the Effects of frost to vegetable crops in

Benguet Province. Furthermore, the study could be of importance of the following:

Farmers. Farmers benefit from market and price stability when communities support their

farmers through community shared agriculture programs, farmers markets, and local distribution

networks.

Future Researchers. The ideas presented may be used as reference data in concluding new

researchers or in testing the validity of other related finding.

OPERATIONAL DFENITION OF TERMS

Frost-a deposit of small white ice crystals formed on the ground or other surfaces when the

temperature falls below freezing.

Vegetables- a plant or part of a plant used as food, typically as accompaniment to meat or fish, such as

a cabbage, potato, carrot, or bean.

 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Highland farmers in Benguet Province are starting to worry over the possible adverse

effects of cold weather on their vegetable farms as the temperature continues to dip below the

normal level of between 12 to 13 degrees Celsius since January 9, 2018.

According to Salvador Olinares (2018), PAGASA weather specialist, the temperature they

recorded on January 18 at 5:15 a.m. was at 9.5o C, the coldest this month. He said that at this time of

year, the normal temperature is between 12 to 13o C.

He said that every year, Baguio City experiences cold temperature due to the cold front, and

that January and February is the mid-harvest season for the highland vegetable farmers. Frost (or tiny

ice crystal deposits) is a major threat to vegetables grown in the province.

Also, PAGASA officials said they are monitoring the temperature in the region because the ice

formation in China continues to thicken, even as the Siberian winds continue to affect the northern part

of the country.